The Red Earth Venue: The Step by Step Story of Making a Utah Wedding Venue

First and foremost, we are nature lovers and adventurers who love the red earth that we have the privilege to explore. What we believe and value as lovers of Moab directly informed the entire process of how The Red Earth Venue was created. The need for a Utah wedding venue where couples could enjoy the great outdoors in a sustainable way was a calling we had to fulfill!

From Park Rangers to Utah Wedding Venue Owners

It all started with a love for Moab, Utah. I’m [Angela] originally from North Carolina, but first visited Moab when I was eight years old. I instantly fell in love with the area and even attended college in the state so I could visit Moab more often.

My husband Brian and I spent time here when we were dating and the desert became an important part of our love story. We first moved to Moab, Utah to work as Park Rangers for Canyonlands National Park. We then lived within the park boundaries for four years and during this time I fell more deeply in love with the Moab desert scenery.

My favorite time of day soon became right before sunset when it all came to life in rich colors, shadows, and views for miles. After a few years as Park Rangers we decided to make Moab our permanent home where we are raising our four daughters to this day.

As my love for traveling all over the desert grew, I moved on from being a ranger and combined my passions by becoming a Moab wedding photographer. Brian continued to work for the National Park Service and is now the District Ranger at Island in the Sky, Canyonlands and the Search and Rescue Coordinator for both Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.

white wedding florals at desert ceremony

The creation of The Red Earth Venue was a labor of love that spanned over many years from ideation, to breaking ground and finally hosting our first event. The secret behind our success is a love for the red earth and the beauty that it uniquely provides.

Building the Foundations of A Family-Owned Utah Wedding Venue

After photographing hundreds of events in the desert, I realized just how important privacy is to the overall feel and success of an event. Since Moab is primarily public land, there are regulations that make it difficult to hold a private event.

Nothing kills the buzz faster than an upset visitor or local camper reporting your group! Other downsides include the shared vault toilets that waft an unpleasant smell over the whole party. Basically, overall visitor experience is enhanced when private events take place on private land.

wedding photographer stands in moab desert

I knew Moab needed an event space but it also had to meet my specific criteria: red rock views that could rival a national park. From my expertise as a Moab photographer, I wanted the couples to be able to stay onsite for the ceremony, reception, and the portraits. It also had to be a location that would blow people away!

I had a piece of land in mind that I had driven past multiple times. I found that a local mine owned it but the land had been deemed unfit for mineral extraction. I called the owner to express an interest and it happened to be perfect timing!

It took another 2.5 years to get our site plan approved through the county, complete the required studies and surveys, and overcome multiple hurdles. Finally, in December of 2021, we closed on the land. The Remote Desert Site was opened first and we immediately began hosting events. These were mostly small outdoor gatherings perfect for a country that was still reeling from the COVID-19 shutdowns.

couple kisses during desert wedding ceremony

groom carries bride during wedding ceremony

bride and groom sit under tent at wedding reception

The Red Earth Venue: A Desert-Inspired Destination Wedding Venue

Entering into the desert wedding venue arena as a wedding photographer and former Park Ranger offered a very unique perspective. As a photographer, it was vital that our event space be flooded with natural light and have minimal or no hardware that would have to be edited out in the couple’s Utah wedding photos.

Also, a desert wedding ceremony site that allowed the couple to either be in direct sunlight or backlit. The space needed to open to the outdoors, function as a pavilion, but completely close without compromising the stunning views. It was a lot to ask, but our architect did an amazing job in making our vision come to life!

couple kisses at desert wedding ceremony

guest dance outdoors at red earth wedding venue

We pulled inspiration from the land itself for the finishing touches of this Utah wedding venue design:

Handmade matte clay tile for the interior walls that provided texture and a neutral backdrop that blends seamlessly with the surrounding landscape.
Matte finish for the zellige tile to avoid any glare from camera flashes at night.
Chandeliers were chosen for their double arch formation–a tribute to the North and South Window arches in Arches National Park (which can be seen on the horizon from a specific spot on the property).

wedding reception decor at The Red Earth Venue

The 12-foot front doors were custom made for a stunning, dramatic entrance.
The Iron Arches Brick Patio has a brick floor that blends into the desert, with the iron arches acting as an open-air framework for the outdoor portions of the event.

wedding guests mingle during Moab cocktail hour

the red earth venue wedding reception decor

Creating a Utah Wedding Venue That’s Good for the Land

One of our primary motivations in creating The Red Earth Venue was to design an event space that would encourage large groups to party in a sustainable way. In selecting Red Earth as your Utah wedding venue, you are choosing an environmentally conscious location to hold your event:

The venue protects a fragile landscape by funneling guests into a location that can support vehicle and foot traffic.
Staff is trained to pick up discarded items that could easily blow off the property and also properly dispose of waste.
Due to the privacy of the location, it doesn’t impact the local community with either noise or resource damage.

You are choosing to support local businesses by hiring an incredible team of wedding vendors who are educated in keeping Moab beautiful and wild. You are choosing to expose your guests to the wonders of the Moab, Utah desert with its stunning red rock landscape and inspire them to love it and want to care for it too.

In other words, you can have your dope desert party and leave no trace too! Most importantly, we want future generations (like our kids!) to enjoy the same Moab that we love so much!

The Red Earth Venue is a family-owned and operated Utah wedding venue that focused the design and construction of our site to support sustainability and make awesome events with stunning photos.

Get in touch to start planning your own Moab desert adventure!